The present invention relates to an electromagnetic valve device according to the preamble of the main claim. The present invention also relates to a system having a plurality of such electromagnetic valve devices, and the present invention relates to the use of such an electromagnetic valve device.
Electromagnetic valve devices according to the preamble of the main claim are generally known from the prior art and are used, for instance, for a wide variety of switching and control purposes, in particular in the form of pneumatic valves in the context of motor vehicles, in particular utility vehicles. In a conventional configuration, for instance in the form of a 3/2-way pneumatic valve having three fluid (pneumatic) connections and two switching positions, the armature means effect the switching movably in response to the energising of stationary coil means in the valve housing, in an otherwise known manner; in the present, more specific context of what are known as booster-assisted valves, an additional mechanical boosting function of the fluid circuit is implemented. Specifically, again in the manner in question, the controlled movement of the armature means effects the opening and closing of a first valve seat associated with the fluid inlet connection (pressure connection) of the valve housing. The open first valve seat allows the inflowing pneumatic fluid to enter a first fluid flow path, from where the fluid acts to actuate plunger means (as an essential assembly of the booster technology). In the process, the fluid pressure of the fluid flowing into the inlet connection overcomes a counter force (generated by a preloading spring or similar energy storage means, for instance) of the plunger means and moves them until a second valve seat (which has been closed by the plunger means until now) is opened. This then allows the fluid to flow to the fluid outlet connection.
In particular against the background of a larger realisable (fluid) cross-section, such booster technology for providing mechanical force assistance for electromagnetically operated valves has become established and proven effective.
However, the plunger means which are used therefor and are designed to interact with the second valve seat require additional axial installation space in the valve housing (“axial” in the context of the present application meaning a movement direction of the armature means, in this respect and preferably corresponding to an extension or longitudinal axis of the valve housing), in particular in case the plunger means, as an essential booster assembly, axially continue the armature means in the valve housing. Owing to restricted installation conditions, for instance in the context of motor vehicles, there is a need for optimisation and shortening, not least when a generic valve housing also has, in addition to the fluid inlet connection and fluid working connection (which usually project in a flange-like manner from the housing shell), fastening means which has at least one hole, but typically a pair of bores extending transversely to the axial direction for screw-fastenings or the like to be used for mounting purposes. As well as the installation space needed to accommodate the coil means (including the connector section which sits on the outside of the housing), there is thus an axial extent in need of optimisation.
In generic valve devices assumed to be generally known from the prior art, it is known, not least to optimise the axial dimension of a known valve housing, to provide the plunger means geometrically in the axial region of the fastening means; it is in particular known, if the fastening means are in the form of a pair of mutually parallel fastening bores, to accommodate the plunger means between said bores in the housing.
While this measure is favourable from a standpoint of an optimised axial extent of the valve housing, technical disadvantages are also produced: Firstly, the geometry of the fastening means (which is usually based on standardised holes or on standardised distances between the bores) limits an effective transverse extent of the plunger means, in this respect also a force application area for the fluid usable for the booster effect. Secondly, such a solution means that again the fluid inlet connection and the fluid working connection must be arranged on mutually opposite sides of the fastening means (that is, usually of the pair of fastening bores) in the axial extension direction of the valve housing, which in turn entails a negative effect on a total axial extent of the device.